“I feel, and the RVN survey results would seem to confirm, that veterinary surgeons and practice managers do not appreciate how much veterinary nurses are allowed to do in equine practice" - David Rendle, BEVA President.

BEVA responds to findings from its recent survey of equine RVNs.

Veterinary practices are being urged to harness the talents and versatility of their nursing teams to help them reach their full potential.

The call from the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) comes in response to a recent survey of RVNs, led by its new VN Committee.

Respondents to the BEVA Recruitment and Retention survey said there was a poor understanding within the profession and among clients of what nurses can do within their role.

The survey also highlighted a lack of opportunity to progress, with many veterinary nurses believing they could take on more responsibility.

BEVA president David Rendle said giving veterinary nurses more opportunities to carry out clinical tasks, which they are qualified to carry out under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, would provide better job fulfilment and increase practice efficiency.

“I feel, and the RVN survey results would seem to confirm, that veterinary surgeons and practice managers do not appreciate how much veterinary nurses are allowed to do in equine practice,” he said.

“We all know veterinary nurses have the ability; look at what they do in small animal and human nursing, but we have felt unnecessarily constrained by Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and the associated RCVS guidelines. If you actually look at Schedule 3 it is clear that we can and should be letting our qualified equine nurses do far more.”

Among the tasks BEVA believes equine veterinary nurses can help with include discussing parasite control programmes, running weight loss clinics, reviewing healthcare plans, and making follow-up phone calls and visits.

To support this, the Association has announced numerous initiatives for 2023, including a career discussion forum, a practical CPD day on nurse-led weight management clinics, and dedicated nursing sessions at BEVA Congress.

Marie Rippingale, chair of the BEVA Nurse Committee, said salary was the main reason veterinary nurses would be looking to leave the profession in the near future.

“Last year’s recruitment and retention survey revealed that 50 per cent of nurse respondents were earning less than £25,000 per annum and 48 per cent of nurses said they were likely to look for a new job in the next two years,” she said.

“When asked their top reasons for leaving, salary was the biggest reason, and common themes on what would help the retention of nurses included salary, work-life balance and career progression.

“The review of Schedule 3 is important so we can encourage delegation of tasks to RVNs. This will allow RVNs to demonstrate their value and worth, earning money for the practice and achieving job satisfaction at the same time. This will contribute positively towards the current retention crisis.”